It is with great sadness that we post this. Dad passed away last night on his own. He opened the gunstore on a whim in November 1999 and retired in 2011. He lived interacting with his customers and the friends he made over the years.
As some may know he has been sick for a couple of years and he took his last breath last night. He had all 4 of us kids and his grandkids around him all day to say our last goodbyes. He is no longer in pain and can now walk again. We laughed and told funny stories about our childhood up until his last minutes. We will post funeral arrangements as soon as they are made.
Remember we are all mostly family of some sort that works the store so please bear with us this following week as we lay my daddy to rest. RIP Daddy we love you and will miss you so much. Thank you for every little or big lesson you taught us and your grandkids. We would love to hear any good stories of him, please shae.
Early Ray Carter passed away surrounded by family Monday, December 18, 2023. Early Ray Carter leaves in God’s hands to cherish his priceless legacy during their quiet moments with Christ; his kids, his sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren, aunts, and uncles and host of other relatives and friends.
He will lie in state at Elgin Funeral Home, Thursday, December 21st from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM. Family and Friends will gather at Elgin Funeral Home, for a Celebration of Early’s Life, Thursday, December 21st at 6:00 PM. In 1999, Ray married Donna Brooks, and they moved to Saint Pauls, North Carolina, where they had a pond so he could enjoy one of his favorite pastimes, fishing. Besides fishing, Ray enjoyed traveling, spending time with relatives and friends and tinkering with his cars, especially his Mustangs.
Ray leaves behind to cherish his memories his wife, Donna Brooks of Saint Pauls North Carolina; his daughters, Stephanie Davis (Julius) of Hope Mills, NC, Miranda Carter of Fayetteville, NC, Deonca Oliver of Charlotte, NC, Myshea Brown of Charlotte, NC, Crystal Bullis (Joshua) of Charlotte, NC, and Alexandrea Hairston of Weehawken, NJ; his sons, Stacy Cole (Tina) of High Point, NC, and Derrick Brooks (Janel) of Stafford, VA; his sisters, Margret Singleton, (Charles) of Clarksburg, WV, and Gwendolyn Carter of Fayetteville, NC and sisters-in-laws, Pearl McCarthy of Wilson, NC, and Dietra Carter of Fayetteville, NC; 16 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and a host of other relatives and many friends.
Ray was an interesting man, a husband, an inventor, traveler, father, friend, and a generous, caring man who loved animals and always reached out to help others. Although he was prosperous, he lived modestly and was always finding a way to help so many people in all kinds of ways. Everyone respected him, loved him and always only had the best of admiration for him.
With his sharp, dry humor and quick wit, he would always give you a chuckle when you’d least expect it. He was known for his intelligence and his genuine manor. Ray is survived by his wife Gretchen who has been with him in their 35 plus year relationship, daughter Selena and her husband Ken, daughter Wendy, son Jim and granddaughter Christie.
A most helpful, generous man and family patriarch, Ray is survived by his wife, Frances, two sons, Robert and Kevin Carter, their mother, Elsa Carter, and four stepchildren Charles, Robert, and Paul Landers and Carolyn Henson. He also leaves 16 grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Surviving is wife Maudine Carter, daughter Patricia Clay and husband Jim of Armuchee, GA, son Bobby Ray Carter of Sarasota, FL, daughter Barbara Boruff and husband Dale of Athens, daughter Rebecca Gail Peterson of Sweetwater, daughter Shelia Weir and husband David of Athens, 10 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. A Memorial Service is planned for Tuesday, August 19th, 2014 at 7:00 PM in the Chapel of Companion Funeral Home located at 2419 Georgetown Road NW in Cleveland, TN.
